The Empire Plan is a unique health insurance plan designed especially for public employees in New York State. Empire Plan benefits include inpatient and outpatient hospital coverage, medical/surgical coverage, Centers of Excellence for transplants, infertility and cancer, home care services, equipment and supplies, mental health and substance abuse coverage and prescription drug coverage.
NY15-16
TO: New York State Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: NYSHIP Health Benefit Publications for Troopers of the New York State Police, effective October 1, 2015
DATE: July 23, 2015
We will soon mail the July 2015 Empire Plan Special Report and July 2015 HMO Special Report, both of which will include the NYSHIP Rate Changes Effective October 1, 2015 flyer. This mailing will be followed by the October 1, 2015 Empire Plan At A Glance with copayment cards and the Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage 2015 flyer. These publications apply only to Troopers of the New York State Police represented by the Police Benevolent Association (PBA).
These publications describe changes affecting NYSHIP coverage effective October 1, 2015, as a result of the collective bargaining agreement between the State of New York and PBA. As a result of these changes, there will be a Special Option Transfer Period from September 1 through September 30, 2015. Please note that any enrollee considering an option change should be referred to the 2015 Choices for Settled Groups (AL1288).
You will receive a memo from the Division that provides complete details for Health Benefits Administrators regarding the rate change and how the Special Option Transfer Period will be administered. Please hold any questions you may have about the rate change and Special Option Transfer Period until you have received and carefully reviewed memo NY15-17.
The July 2015 Empire Plan Special Report (NY1132) includes:
Special Option Transfer Period; Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table; Opt-out Program; Federal Health Care Reform Changes and Empire Plan Changes effective October 1, 2015.
The July 2015 HMO Special Report (NY1135) includes:
Special Option Transfer Period; Biweekly Premium Contribution Rate Changes; Updated Life Expectancy Table and the Opt-out Program.
The NYSHIP Rate Changes flyer (NY1133) includes:
New rates for October 1, 2015, and information on the Special Option Transfer Period.
The October 1, 2015, Empire Plan At A Glance (NY1134) with Copayment Cards (AL1347) and Empire Plan Preventive Care Coverage 2015 flyer (AL1345) includes:
Useful information to serve as a summary guide to Empire Plan benefits. The At A Glance is best used together with the Empire Plan Certificate.
Distribution
With the exception of the At A Glance, these publications will begin to mail to enrollees’ homes in late July. We will send you 20 copies of each publication.
Mail files for these publications were pulled from NYBEAS on July 10, 2015. Any enrollee not on file as of that date will not receive these mailings. You may, however, order a Quick Order (QO) Package on HBA Online for a new hire, as it will include these publications. Otherwise, you should include a copy of each appropriate publication in the package of information you give to new hires.
The mail file for the October 1, 2015 At A Glance will be pulled from NYBEAS at the end of the Special Option Transfer Period. We will send you five copies of the At A Glance, as well as five copies each of the Preventive Care Coverage flyer and settled copayment cards.
Publications Available on Our Web Site: https://www.cs.ny.gov/employee-benefits
Please check our web site for new publications. We generally post publications when we sign off for printing. Publications are available under Using Your Benefitts.
Ordering Publications
You may order additional copies of these publications on HBA Online under Publications & Forms. Please wait until you receive your shipment of the new publications before you place an order.
If you need help accessing HBA Online, e-mail its.sm.esd.ags@its.ny.gov. If you are unsure of how to order publications or have questions about this distribution, please call the EBD Communications Unit at 518-457-7577.